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Allentown mother pleads guilty to murder after tossing toddler son off bridge in 2015

Posted: Dec 16 2016 03:40PM EST

Updated: Dec 16 2016 03:40PM EST

ALLENTOWN (WTXF) - District Attorney Jim Martin announced Friday that an Allentown mother pled guilty to murder in the 2015 death of her 20 month old son.

According to a press release, 21-year-old Johnesha Perry pled guilty to murder of the third degree in the death of her son, Zymeir. She was sentenced to 20 to 40 years.

Perry pushed the child off the Hamilton Street Bridge on May 3, 2015 and then jumped off the bridge herself. Zymeir died six days later.

The press release states that the cause of death was complications of blunt force trauma and drowning.

While presenting the facts of the case, Chief Deputy District Attorney Matthew Falk said that Perry, “has real mental health issues, and while they certainly do not absolve her of the responsibility of this monstrous act, we believe that they, along with her low IQ, require us, in fairness, to offer this plea.”

In addition, Mitigation Specialist Louise Luck gave background on Perry’s childhood, citing sexual abuse by her biological brother, but also by a series of men her biological mother allowed to molest her. She also testified that Perry’s biological mother drank heavily while pregnant with Perry.